Early Sunday morning, April 28, 2024, the tranquil town of Fitzgerald, Georgia was jolted by a shooting at a post-prom gathering. The incident left 15-year-old cheerleader Chyell Paulk dead and four others injured.
The shooting occurred at around 1:10 a.m. on East Pine Street. Four victims, including Paulk, were rushed to the hospital. Paulk was taken to Dorminy Medical Center, where she was later declared dead.
Two teenage boys, aged 14 and 15, were among the injured. A 19-year-old woman was also wounded but has since been released from the hospital. Another 15-year-old boy was critically injured and had to be airlifted to a hospital in Macon.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation apprehended the alleged shooter, 17-year-old Channen Brown. Brown has been charged with felony murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. Under Georgia law, Brown is being charged as an adult due to his age. There is, as of now, no public record of Brown appearing before a judge or having a legal representative.
Jared Luke, Principal of Irwin County High School, described Paulk as a freshman who had a “loving spirit and always a smile on her face.” The news of her untimely death has deeply affected the community, with Luke expressing his heartfelt sorrow over the tragedy.
Paulk’s mother, Chelsie King, expressed her devastation to reporters, stating, “I’m just numb. I can’t even wrap my head around it. She was 15 with a full life ahead of her.”
The wave of violence continued past the weekend, with a drive-by shooting reported near the Bridge Creek Apartments in Fitzgerald on Monday, April 29, at approximately 2:48 p.m. This incident, believed to be a retaliatory act following Paulk’s death, left two men, aged 21 and 24, injured. The older man was airlifted to a Mason hospital with a leg injury, while the younger man was taken to a Tifton Hospital after being shot in the upper thigh.
In response to these incidents, Fitzgerald imposed a curfew for individuals under 17, from midnight to 6 a.m., starting on Monday.
